8 Days Rwanda Gorillas, Chimps, Dian Fossey Tour

Day 1 Transfer from Kigali to Musanze - Red Rocks Intercultural Exchange Center

Our guide/ driver will pick you up from your hotel in Kigali, and your day starts with a complimentary tour of the city. Named in 1907 by Dr. Richard Kandt, the first colonial resident governor of Rwanda, is surrounded by lush green hills and is referred to as 'the land of a thousand hills'.  Visit interesting spots, which may include the craft market and the Gisozi genocide memorial center. After, drive to Musanze, the second largest town in Rwanda, with its stunning backdrop of five volcanic mountains – The Virungas. 

Arrive at Red Rocks Intercultural Exchange Center for lunch before joining the local brew makers to understand the chemistry of the process of brewing a local beer from bananas.

If you find the activity interesting enough you can join the women in squeezing the juice out of the bananas and drink a glass of juice (optional). Understand how long juice takes to turn into alcohol after adding in sorghum flour. Enjoy a big glass of our local brew if you feel you like it! Among other activities they also do basket weaving in this local community, an activity which supports local families financially. Later drive to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

Lodge: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge

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Day 2 Mout Bisoke Hiking

After an early breakfast, transfer to Kinigi Park Offices by 7:00 AM just in time for the morning briefing and registration before proceeding to the head trail – the Mt Bisoke hike starting point. With packed lunch and hiking gear, With your guides and porters start hike to the top of this volcano, enjoy lunch uphill before retrieving the starting point; meet up with your guide for drop off at either a hotel.

Mount Bisoke volcano is a dormant volcano part of the 8 volcanoes of the Virunga conservation region of East and Central Africa. Mount Bisoke stands at 3,711 meters with a crater lake and beautiful vegetation at the summit. Hiking mount Bisoke is a 1 day hike which requires good fitness and it's a tough steep hike and advisable to take a porter to help carry your water and day pack. Have dinner and overnight as you prepare for gorilla trekking on the next day.

Lodge: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge

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Day 3 Gorilla Trekking in Volcanoes National Park - Visit the Ellen DeGeneres Campus

After an early morning breakfast, you will transfer to the park headquarters together with your packed lunch early enough to be briefed about the code of conduct while with the gorillas. This will be followed by entering the forest in search of the gorillas in the forest which may take 2-6 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas in the jungle. Meet and stay with the gorillas for a maximum of one hour. Later, take a visit to the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in Rwanda, which is a center for gorilla conservation and scientific research.

Lodge: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge

Day 4 Trek to Dian Fossey Tomb (Grave)

The hike aims to give tourists a learning experience about the works of the famous American primatologist and conservationist, Dian Fossey, who dedicated her life to research about the mountain gorillas. She set up a research camp in the valley between Mount Karisimbi and Mount Bisoke hence the name ‘Karisoke’. Her works to protect the mountains gorillas and their habitat would lead her into conflict with negative forces including poachers and she was eventually killed. She was buried among the gorillas near her Karisoke Research Center. 

The hike is done in the morning. You report to the park office in Kinigi at 7am to the meet the ranger guides for briefing and at about 8am drive for about 30 minutes to the base of the Mount Bisoke where the trekking starts just outside the park at the car parking. A walking stick will be provided at the starting point, free of charge, and porters will found here that you can hire to carry your bags and provide some support along the hike.

Lodge: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge

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Day 5 Golden Monkey Trekking in Volcanoes NP

After a morning breakfast report to the park headquarters for your second experience with different endangered species in the volcanoes "The Golden Monkeys trek is normally an easy trek which may take you 1-2 hours. The Golden Monkeys are the rare species of old world monkey now found only in the Virunga mountain range. As with treks to see the Mountain Gorillas, treks to see the Golden Monkey takes place in the mornings and visitors are permitted to stay for 1 hour with the monkeys.

After trekking, return to your lodge for lunch and in the afternoon you may like to visit the colourful musanze market and wander through the multitude of stalls selling everything from banana, beans to brightly coloured materials.

It is also known to be the vegetable area for the country due to its volcanic soil, thus this will be your opportunity to have a look on different vegetables and fruits in the this market. 

Lodge: Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge

Day 6 Exit Musanze with a stop over at Lake Kivu and transfer to Nyungwe national park

After early morning breakfast at the lodge, visit Lake Kivu and enjoy the morning breeze at the shores, this is an hour drive to Rubavu. Spend just an hour there then return on the road to proceed on your 4-5 hours drive to Nyungwe national park with lunch en route. Nyungwe forest is the oldest and largest rain forest in East Africa. Arrive in the park in the late afternoon and connect to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.

Lodge: Emeraude Kivu Resort

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Day 7 Chimpanzee trekking - Canopy Walk (Nyungwe National Park)

Today, after your early morning breakfast, you will leave your hotel for a chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe National Park Rwanda experience. Nyungwe forest is well known for having 13 species of primates and was transformed into a park for briefing and chimpanzee trekking. You will be entitled to one hour stay on finding the chimpanzees. After doing the chimpanzee trek, head for lunch at the hotel. 

After lunch you head to Nyungwe National Park for a canopy walk and return in the afternoon for dinner and overnight stay.

Lodge: Emeraude Kivu Resort

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Day 8 Nyungwe forest - Butare - Kigali

Have an early morning breakfast and after transfer back to Kigali. En route to the City you will have lunch and also visit the Rwanda National Museum in Butare town. Proceed to Kigali where you will be dropped off at the Airport to catch your flight back home.

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